才

• Pinyin: cái
• Hanzi breakdown: 才 — originally a pictograph of a budding sprout; extended to mean talent, then 'only just' as an adverb

Meaning

Only then; just now; only. An adverb indicating something happened later than expected or in a limited amount.

Used to emphasise that an action happened late, with difficulty, or in a small quantity. Contrasts with 就, which implies something happened sooner than expected. One of the most important adverbs in everyday Mandarin.

Examples

1. 他九点才起床，太晚了。 He didn't get up until nine o'clock — that's too late.
2. 我等了半个小时他才来。 I waited half an hour before he finally came.
3. 这件衣服才五十块钱。 This piece of clothing costs only fifty yuan.

Usage Guide

Context: expressing lateness, emphasis on small quantity, everyday speech

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 我昨天十二点才睡觉。(I didn't go to sleep until midnight last night.)
• 她学了两年才学会。(It took her two years to learn it.)

Don't Say

• Do not confuse 才 with 就 — 才 implies later or less than expected, while 就 implies sooner or easier. 他八点才来 (He didn't come until 8) vs 他八点就来了 (He came as early as 8).

Origin & History

Originally meant 'talent' or 'ability' in Classical Chinese. The adverbial usage meaning 'only then' developed through grammaticalisation over centuries.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal